


Keep it Close-DISCONTINUED

by Masterkcat



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, Magic, Multiverse, Original Character(s), Violence, buckwild, not too graphic but it's there, practically a soap opera
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-13 12:03:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14748507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masterkcat/pseuds/Masterkcat
Summary: Not many people know who Leilani's father was. She didn't mind it, the Stark name held more baggage than she cared to carry. She already has enough of her own to deal with. But secrets are hard to keep, and as more come to light her life will soon turn a lot more complicated.This takes place in an au of sorts, where Civil War gets sorted out....somewhat legally and Infinity War never happened (lmao ain't that the mood after that movie).





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This story will have cameos other media universes, but you won't need to know them to enjoy the story. Updates are not going to be regular, I'm sorry, but this is more me getting the story written down as opposed to letting it fester in my head. Just a warning, this gets....buck wild.

"So, when are they coming?"

Tony looked up from his work, suit modifications scattered across a table. His daughter rose an eyebrow from the other side, waiting for response. He cleared his throat. "What?"

"The renegades, the exiles, the criminals," Lei rolled her wrist in a 'so forth' motion as she listed off nicknames. "Steve's side. When are they coming?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh huh," She seemed unimpressed by the lie. "I've been watching the news. They're being brought back from hiding."

"And?"

"And though the press won't say what's happening to them, I know that you and Rhodey have been talking  _very_ closely with the UN lately," She leaned her elbows on his worktable. He shifted his eyes to the ceiling. " _and_ I know you've been preparing a few of the spare rooms in the tower. I have a hunch."

Tony didn't say anything for a long time. She watched the muscles in his jaw spasm as he tried to find a response. Then he blew out a  long breath through his nose. 

"You know," He complained. "Its really hard to keep government secrets when your kid is a genius."

"That's your own fault," Lei grinned as he glared at her. "So, answer my question," She straightened and folded her arms. "When are they coming?" She rolled her eyes when he hesitated. "Come on, I already know. Besides, it's not like I won't see them once they're here. I visit too often for that." He pressed his lips together.

"....one week," Tony finally said. "They're going to be under house arrest in the tower."

"For how long?"

"At least a year."

She hummed. "What are the rules?"

"Lei-" He warned.

"I'm curious" She protested. "Come on, I won't tell a soul."

He gave her a look. "They'll only be let out on assignments or when supervised by one of ours."

"Like you or Rhodey?" He nodded. "Would I be on that list?"

"You can't fight. If they turn on you, you wouldn't stand a chance."

"I think I'd be fine."

"Don't push it." His voice gained a sharp edge. Lei knew it well enough to do what he said.

"Fine," She took a seat and one of the armor pieces and turned it in her hands. "I'm glad they're coming back, whatever the conditions."

He snorted. "What? You have a crush on the capsicle?"

"Nah. It's just this divorce has really put you through a midlife crisis."

"It wasn't a divorce."

"The few times I met Steve, you and him bickered like an old married couple. Whatever you want to think, the name fits."

"No it-" He stopped himself. He pointed an accusing finger at her."I didn't go through a midlife crisis."

"Immediately after they went on the run you adopted a 15 year old boy."

"I didn't  _adopt_ him."

"Take it from your other child. You adopted him."

He groaned. "Why are you like this?"

"Once again, you are my father and you did raise me."

"I don't remember raising you to be such a smart-ass."

"Then I guess it's genetic."

"I didn't adopt Peter." He insisted again.

"Mr. Stark?" FRIDAY chimed in. "Mr. Parker is here to see you."

"Send him down," Tony called back. He caught sight of Lei smirking. "Don't you say a word."

She swallowed a laugh. "Wouldn't dream of it."


	2. First Impressions

Bucky felt like he was back in Hydra.

He sat squished in the back of a government SUV, heavy cuffs shackling his wrists together. Armed guards--a younger and an older-- sat across from him with guns at the ready. He was something to be feared again, something to be put down with one wrong move.

He missed Wakanda.

_“You don’t have to agree to this.” Steve sat at his table, flanked by Shuri and T’Challa. They all looked concerned._

_“The deal falls apart without me, right?” His voice was gruff, made rough by the anxiety burning at his throat. He avoided their gaze by organizing his kitchen. The pots were in the wrong place. The teapot wasn’t turned right._

_“You’re doing_ **_well_ ** _here. You don’t need to jeoprodize that.” Steve was insistent._

_“You can’t stay on the run forever. I’m not worth it.”_

_“Yes you are. We can manage,” The silverware was in the wrong order. Bucky didn’t know what the right order was. He needed to find out. He wished he had his other arm, it’d be easier to put the knives where they needed to be. The others were watching, waiting for a response. He let out a shaky breath._

_“I’ll do it.” Forced out quickly so he didn’t have time to change his mind._

_“Are you sure?” Steve was gentle. Bucky nodded quickly, still focused on the silverware. “Alright.”_

They rode over a crack in the pavement, jostling Bucky back into the present. He took a steadying breath and glanced around. Steve wasn’t with him. Two super soldiers in one car was too much of a risk. Instead Natasha sat next to him, and next to her Sam. Both were bound the same way. At least that was one thing that changed.

He wasn’t alone.

The car ground to a halt. One of the guards gestured with his gun. “We’re here.”

They only had a short walk from the car to the tower entrance, but it felt miles long. Reporters and protesters screamed from both sides, held back by officers with riot shields. He shrunk under the noise. One of the guards pushed him forward.

Once inside, the handcuffs were removed, but the guards stayed armed and on alert. Bucky, Nat, and Sam were marched towards the elevator and up the tower. Compared to outside, the silence was equally deafening.

The place was like a maze. They twisted through hallways with floors that shone under too-bright lights. Bucky didn’t know how he was expected to live here.

“Excuse me!”

The voice, pleasant as it was, cut through the tense silence and sent the guards snapping. They whirled around, ready to shoot at whoever called them. Bucky and the others turned to see who it was.

“This is a place of business. Put those guns away before you shoot the janitor, or something.” A young woman was approaching them. She seemed more disgruntled than anything by the weapons pointed in her face. The guards didn’t lower them.

“Who are you?”

“Leilani Stark, Tony Stark’s daughter.” In Bucky’s peripherie, Sam’s eyebrows shot up.

“You need clearance to be up here.”

“Good thing I have it,” She reached into her back pocket and held out a sheaf of papers. The older guard hesitantly reached for them, suspicion rolling off of them in waves. “And after you’re done, I can take it from here.”

“We’re under strict orders, _ma’am.”_ The younger guard said scathingly. Leilani rose an eyebrow.

“To do what? Turn your back on three of arguably the most dangerous people in world? To put them in cuffs that at least two can easily break out of? To threaten a civilian? Odd orders,” Nat suppressed a smile as Leilani’s face stayed passive. The guard stiffened nervously. “Besides, your orders as I understand them was to escort them safely to the building. Look at them, all safe in the building. You’re doing extra credit, _sir._ ”

There was silence. She was calm as pond while he was becoming more agitated. His superior flipped through the last page. “Everything seems to be in order,” He handed the papers back. “Let’s go, Greens.”

The guard spluttered. “But our orders!” He said indignantly. The older glared at him.

“Don’t whine. Let’s _go._ And unlock their handcuffs.”

The younger huffily turned to the three, who schooled their expressions just in time. He freed their wrists, jerking them harder than necessary. He brushed past Leilani to follow his companion, pushing her shoulder in the process. The impact failed to make her stumble and she rolled her eyes. She waited until the guards had turned the bend to speak.

“Charming man,” She joked. “Really gives you faith for that generation of men,” She held out a hand. “Lei Stark. I hope you don’t mind me barging in.”

“Sam Wilson. Not at all, that was amazing to watch.” Sam was grinning wide as he shook her hand. Nat was next.

“Nice to see you again.” there was laughter in her words. Lei grinned.

“Same to you. Blonde’s a good color on you.” She looked to Bucky.

Lei Stark was breathtaking. Dark skin, lazy curls, and an easy smile. Her eyes were darker than any he’d ever seen, but so warm.

_New York never slept, bustling around him and Steve as they stumbled down the streets of Brooklyn. Summer hung thick around around them, filling their lungs with sweet caramel. Laughter followed them from Coney Island, a treat bought on Bucky’s new soldier’s wages, and it bounced against the buildings and rang into the night. Some poor mother shoved open her window to tell them off. They only laughed harder._

“Bucky Barnes?” He was staring, and everyone else was staring at him. He cleared his throat as heat rose in his neck. He sheepishly shook her hand. “Steve’s told me a lot about you.”

“Good things, I hope.” He laughed uncomfortably.

“Well if you call how a girl once splashed a drink in your face ‘good’, then abosultely.” Sam snorted while Bucky went pink.

“I’m going to kill that punk.”

“You’ll get your chance, he’s right down here. Follow me.” She beckoned them down the hall. Bucky stared after her bouncing curls. Sam hit him on the shoulder.

“What?” He grumbled.

“You’re drooling.” Sam laughed as Bucky shoved him back.

“I’m not.”

“Boys!” They looked up. Lei and Nat were already towards the end of the hall, about to turn a corner. “You can walk and argue at the same time, come on. The others are waiting.”

“Sorry!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to warn you this isn't edited


	3. Sweet Coffee

Steve couldn’t claim he’d ever been close to Leilani Stark, but every time he’d gone to visit the tower, she’d been the one to keep him company as he waited to talk with her father. Tony had a bad habit of scheduling things when Steve was supposed to arrive. Steve thinks he did it on purpose then, and as he and his team were stranded in the common room, was doing it on purpose now. And once again, Lei took it upon herself to entertain.

  
He barely recognized her at first. When she marched in with his closest friends, he thought she was an intern. Even when she re-introduced herself, he still struggled to believe it. She was still a teenager when they last saw each other; still a little lanky, not fully grown into her frame. He knew her as a shy girl, sweet and wicked smart but fumbled often with her words. But now?

  
“So you have a PhD?” Sam asked. He sat next to Lei on the couch, fully engaged in their conversation. She nodded, leaning forward to lazily rest her elbows on her knees. “What in?” 

  
“Robotics. I did, however, major in Theatre at first, much to my dad’s dismay.”  
“Do you act?”

  
“God no, why do you think it made him so panicked?” Sam let out a bark of laughter. Lei joined in, grin devilish. “He nearly cried when I told him I switched majors, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man so relieved.”

  
“Alright!” A voice called. Their heads turned to the entrance.

  
“Speak of the devil.”

  
Tony strolled in, coffee in hand and swagger in step. “How’s our favorite outlaws?”

  
Steve grimaced and did his best to bite his tongue. He didn’t need a fight, not now, not so soon. Lei, however, had no problems of the kind. She shot a pointed look her father’s way and warned-

  
“That better be decaf you’re holding.”

  
“Of course it is." As Tony said it, he drew it closer to his chest, as if to protect it from his judging offspring. Emblazoned across the chipped ceramic was ‘#1 DAD’ in bold.

  
“If I take a sip right now, would that still be true?” Tony stayed silent. She rose an unimpressed eyebrow and jerked her head towards the kitchen. “Go pour that out.”

  
“In a minute.”

  
“If that mug so much as touches your lips again I am throwing you off that balcony.”

  
Tony swallowed, shrinking ever so slightly under her gaze. The others looked back and forth between them like a tennis match.

  
He cleared his throat. “ _Anyway_ , let’s get this show on the road. I assume you guys know the deal?” A general consensus of nods and begrudging ‘yes’s. “Who doesn’t know the layout of the tower?” Wanda hesitantly raised her hand. Bucky did as well. “Trick question, none of you do. I remodeled. Time for a tour.”  
He waved them to follow as he turned on his heel.

  
“That tour better start in the kitchen.”

  
“We’ll get to that later.”

  
“Then give that mug to me, now.”

  
Tony looked helplessly around the room for backup, yet got none. Then he glanced back to his daughter for some lenience, yet found her unwavering. Finally, he let out an indignant huff and handed off the coffee. “You better not drink any of that, either,” He complained. Lei chose not to answer as she turned on her heel to head toward the kitchen. “I mean it!” He called after her. Still no response and she quickly disappeared. Tony grumbled “Brat,” and cleared his throat again. “On with the tour, come on.”

  
Steve suppressed a smile. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.


	4. Just a job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lei and her coworker share some words and do some cleanup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little graphic. Hopefully it’s not too much, but like there’s some maiming involved.

“You’re going to have to tell him eventually.”

“Runa, we’ve been over this.”

“I still think I’m right.”

Lei frowned as she ducked, a bullet shooting right where her head was moments before. She seemed more bothered by her friend then by the brush with mortality. “I don’t care if you’re right, it’s my decision.”

“I know, but I’m right.”

“You’ve been thinking that for 10 years, you can think it for a million more. I’m not changing my mind,” One of the guards smashed the butt of a gun into her skull. She grunted in pain, but barely staggered and quickly swung a chain-wrapped first into his face. He went sprawling to the floor. “Where’s this thing again?”

Across the room, Runa slashed a sword through her own attacker, slicing his throat and sending him crumbling. She flicked a blonde strand of hair out of her face. “A little further down. A few more doors, maybe.”

The chain disappeared with a flicker as Lei went to re-tie her hair. “All these groups make their bases look the same,”  she complained. “Hydra, Talon, Apple-,”

“Please don’t tell me you broke into Apple.”

“I didn’t, but with how they treat their customers I’d call them on-par with any other terroristic organization.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Have you tried their customer service? Absolute nightmare,” Runa rolled her eyes and headed towards the doors. Lei was close behind, finishing her ponytail and letting the chain reappear around her knuckles. “What brought this up, by the way?”

“Your rail on capitalism?”

“No, telling my dad.”

“You said there are more people living in the tower now, right?” Lei nodded. Runa brought up a shield of golden light the moment she opened the door. Bullets bounced off of it. She sent the shield forward, causing a wave of force to knock the new guards off their feet. She and Lei pushed through.

“It’ll be harder to hide. Better you tell him than he finds out.”

Lei held the ends of the chain as it hooked one of the attackers by the neck. She used it as leverage as she brought her knee into the woman’s face. Her nose shattered under the force. “He won’t find out.”

“I don’t understand why you’re so hesitant. It’s not like you’re a hitman.” Runa blocked a gunshot with her blade, using the opening to shove it under the shooter’s rib cage. Blood bubbled from his lips before he dropped.

“It’s not a matter of morality, it’s trust,” Lei slammed a head into the wall. “He trusts that I have no secrets. If I say ‘hey, pop, I’ve been doing this thing since I was _16_ ’? He’d be heartbroken.”

“The longer you wait, the worse it’ll be.”

“Unless this goes to the grave with me, and then I win. Here we go,” Lei stepped into the side room, a sterile lab with experiments abandoned part-way through. She grimaced at the dead bodies floating in cylindrical tanks. All but one was full. “Why can’t we be sent to reclaim a magic candy bar, or something? Turns everything to chocolate.”

“That’d be mayhem.” Runa trailed in behind her.

“Maybe, but at least I’d get a snack,” Lei started rifling through cabinets and checking under tables. “But _noo,_ we gotta get a corrupted necromancer’s heart. I swear to god if they already-,” There was a creak from above, echoing from the floors they already cleared. Both women froze. Runa noticed some of the brine that was in the tanks was on the floor. Right in front of the one that was empty.

“They already put it in someone.” She said, bracing herself.

“ _Son of a-”_

The ceiling tore open and something dropped on Lei, crushing her and the floor underneath.

The creature was grotesque; pink flesh grew out of a shattered human face, pieces of skull missing and the jaw morphing into a wolf-like maw with fangs like broken glass. It was top heavy like an ape, most of its weight resting on giant, twisting arms. That meant that most of its weight rested on Lei as its gnarled claws dug into her stomach. “Fuck!” She wheezed. It roared, a horrible wail of pain and rage.

Runa leapt and dug her swords into his back. The roar turned to a screech and it reached to swipe at her. Lei was quick to scramble out from under it. Blood dripped from her wounds onto the ripped tile floor. Her chain was replaced by a sword, not nearly as impressive as Runa’s own, but still much more effective than a punch. As the beast rose to its feet to better grab at the nuisance on its back, Lei took the opportunity to stab at its underbelly. She slipped away before it could claw at her again.

“Lock the arms!” Runa demanded. The beast swung around and she struggled to keep a grip on her hilts.

“What?!”

“Keep the arms from moving!” She slipped for a second, but quickly readjusted. The blades jerked as it cut through a little more thick sinew. The beast screamed.

Lei set her jaw and went to work. She caught sight of a pipe in the corner and rushed towards it, dodging a swinging arm. The metal easily splintered under her strength, the point sharp and probably full of tetanus. She whistled for the creatures attention, who whipped towards her much too quickly for her comfort. It lunged for her and Lei barely dodged out of the way. While it’s hand was outstretched, she speared it through the palm and through the floor. While it writhed, she bent the pole and wrapped it around, effectively zip-tying the creature to the ground. The chain appeared once more to wrap around the other massive wrist and hold it in place. “Alright, make it quick!”

Runa yanked one sword and climbed to its jerking shoulders. She stuck it through the neck.

Nothing happened.

The beast ripped its hand from the pipe, flesh tearing and dripping gore as it grabbed Runa from its shoulders and threw her across the room. Lei lost her grip and it sent her flying into the wall. She managed to grab onto another pipe, this one joining the wall and ceiling, before she fell onto a table covered in shattered test equipment. “It’s a necromancers heart, idiot!” She snapped. “It’s not gonna just _die!”_

“Shut up!”

Runa had to dodge another swipe of the ruined hand. Lei groaned and let go, landing on her feet on top of the broken table. The glass crunched under her feet. As its back was turned, she mimicked what her mentor did earlier and leapt onto its back, using the remaining sword as a hand hold. She conjured her own and stabbed it down. The pain was enough to distract it, and Runa darted behind its knees and slashed at the tendons. It buckled, and before it could fall back Lei scrambled onto its shoulders and then its chest. It hit the ground hard. Runa slashed at its arm while Lei positioned herself above its heart. Before it could try and use the ruined hand to crush her, she stabbed down.

That did it.

The death rattle was deafening, making the women wince. It’s body jerked violently, the force enough to send Lei sprawling off. She hit the floor, a ripped up tile digging hard into her spine as she landed on it. The beast eventually stilled, pink flesh darkening and turning slightly grey. Lei picked herself up and stared at it. Then she met Runa’s eyes and gestured vaguely.

“You think my dad will be cool with _this?_ ”

Runa chose not to answer.

 


	5. What’s Best

The mornings after a job were always….surreal. A return to strange normalcy.

Lei woke up in pain, which wasn’t new. Light filtered in through her window, the type of grey than came from a cloudy day, giving the white of her comforter a soft glow. She rubbed her face and, while her hand was in front of her eyes, checked her knuckles. Bruised and split the night before, her skin was now smooth and scarless. The only hint of injury left was a steady ache. She groaned and slowly pulled herself to her feet, flinching slightly at the cold wooden floor. Her hand found a place on her lower back, pressing against the spine and trying to soothe a particularly fierce area of pain.

The bathroom was the first stop. An empty glass already waited near the sink. Lei filled it from the tap and grabbed a corked glass bottle from one of the cabinets. The only type of labelling was a note tied around the neck, the writing on it blue and looping.

_ Take two at most _

She dumped out the contents onto her palm, pills that resembled Advil, and took two as instructed. She washed it down with the glass of water and rested against the wall. Her head tipped to the ceiling and sighed through her nose, eyes slipping closed. After a few moments, the pain started to fade.

Next was the kitchen. Lei, with a bit more ease in her step, pulled milk from the fridge and fruity pebbles from the cabinet. A large and chipped bowl clattered to the counter. A spoon followed soon after. She poured cereal, using up the last of it, and then the milk, using so much that it lapped at the rim. Lei carried the bowl carefully to the table and slumped into a chair. While she ate, she scrolled through her phone.

Lei had made quick friends with the new residents of the tower. It took only a week for her to take Sam out drinking, and then two to make it a standing date, and then three to have Nat join them. Steve and her had a habit of being the only ones up in the early morning (on the days that she stayed for the night) and made it a ritual to talk out on the balcony, coffee and tea in hand. Wanda was shy, though Lei managed to coax her out of her shell with the promise of a dinner and a show. The only one she hadn’t really managed to talk to was Bucky.

Even after 2 months to adjust, he was reclusive. Steve guessed (while worriedly nursing his coffee at 5 in the morning) that the tower was too different for him. Bucky had spent 3 years in the Wakanda countryside, free to roam and left to his solitude. Now he was a prisoner again, with no chance to be alone. He didn’t trust his therapist, or the caseworker he had to report to. Bucky was spiralling, and no one was sure how to pull him out of it.

Well, Lei had a bad one.

She searched for messages from Steve. A conversation they had right before she left bouncing around her skull.

“ _ It’s a longshot” _

__ _ “It could help.” _

__ _ “There are so many obstacles. The UN would have to agree, you would have to get even more clearance, Your dad and Bucky would have to agree, and I don’t know which one is less likely-” _

__ _ “You can’t expect him to be reintegrated into society when he won’t leave his room. I already have a tentative arrangement with Ramirez. Just talk to him, see how he feels about it, and leave my dad to me.” _

__ _ “Why are you doing this?” _

__ Lei didn’t answer him then. Part of her was just as confused as he was. All she was doing was inviting trouble, increasing an already too-large risk. As she lobbied Ramirez the caseworker and Freeman the therapist, her brain screamed at her to stop. This will only end in tragedy. 

But in the end, she was a bleeding heart and a guilt-ridden soul who wanted to help a healing man. 

Lei found the proper thread, though didn’t open it. The last sent message told her everything she needed to know.

_ He said yes. _

* * *

 

Lei steeled herself with a breath. One more step and she would be in front of a line of windows and in view of the labs. When she entered the tower, that’s where the receptionist said Tony would be. She would’ve preferred an area with fewer projectiles, maybe a padded panic room, but she supposed this would have to do. Lei set her shoulders and walked out.

“Sweets!” Her father saw her immediately, and he was hard to miss as well. His Ironman boots kept him in the air while he wrestled with one of the arms, rotating slowly and out of time with Led Zeppelin. “FRIDAY, cut the music!” He dropped to the ground, his boots loud in the newly quiet room and pulled Lei into a hug. Then he inspected her. Worry tugged at his features. “You look tired, have you been sleeping okay?”

“Wow, great way to say hi. ‘Hey, only child of mine, you look terrible’.”

“I didn’t say terrible, I only said tired,” he kissed her temple. “But don’t use that as an excuse to drink caffeine.”

“I’m an adult.”

“With anxiety.”

“And who’s fault is that?” He ignored her, and she rolled her eyes. “I have to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

She took another breath. “I think Bucky should move in with me.”

You could hear a pin drop. Tony stared at her, face unchanged as he processed her words. Lei pushed forward.

“He does better with fewer people around, it’s not as high-tech so it’s not as overwhelming-“ He was already shaking his head. “I have the space, I’m just a few stops away-”

“No.”

“I’m not affiliated with the accords-”

“No!”

“His therapist thinks it’s a good idea-”

“Leilani!” He barked. Years of hearing that tone conditioned her to fall silent. “You are not going to live with the man that killed your grandparents.”

“That wasn’t him and you know it.” 

“He could kill you too!”

“Why would any of them risk that?! He agreed to this deal, same as everyone else, why would he jeopardize it? My building would be reinforced, the security system would be upped-”

“And you still wouldn’t know how to fight if he attacked you! No, this is out of the question!”

“Will you just listen to me!?”

“No!” He gripped her arms. “If I listen, you risk your life and I risk losing my daughter.”

“You’re not risking anything.”

“Everyone always says that before they lose everything,” Desperation softened his voice. “He is not worth you.”

“He is worth the same as all of us,” She gently pushed off his hands. “And he deserves a chance at normalcy.”

“and why do you have to be the one to give it to him?”

“Because someone has to and he deserves a friend.”

Tony groaned and covered his face. “Now I see why people say parenthood is unfulfilling,” He grumbled. “You—you’re not an agent, Leilani,” He tried again, sounding exhausted by the argument. “You shouldn’t even have clearance to take them out—I’m still annoyed about that, by the way—let alone foster one of them.”

“Dad, the others will continue to be on lockdown until they’re  _ all _ cleared. Bucky is nowhere near that. If this works, in less than a year you’re no longer a babysitter and they’re no longer like children.”

“But it’s not guaranteed to work!”

“Since when are you one to play it safe?”

“Since I had a daughter.” 

“That’s fake, but okay,” she gave him a look. “I want to help. Let me help.”

Tony fell into irritated silence. He glared at her and she glared back. “Even if I said yes, he wouldn’t agree to it.”

“He did,”Tony blinked. “I got confirmation this morning.”

“The UN-“

“Got proposals from Ramirez and Dr. Freeman. I was interviewed and hopefully I’ll be approved in a few days,” Tony helplessly groped for something else to say. Lei was gentle when she said-“I’m doing it, dad.”

“Is there any way for me to stop you?”

She smiled sympathetically “No.”

He hung his head and rested heavily on his work table. For a long time, he was silent. Finally, he whispered “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Lei came over and tucked herself against his side, pulling him into a hug.“I know.” She murmured. 

He let out a shaking breath and returned it, resting his chin on her head.“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“And I want what’s best for you.”

“I know.”

“You’ll tell me if anything,  _ anything  _ goes wrong.”

“Of course.”

“If he even looks at you funny, he’s dead.”

“Reasonable.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”


	6. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lei comes home late from a job and finds a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the chapters will start being closer together chronologically. I want to kinda establish the base of the story before getting deep into shenanigans. If team cap came to the tower in the early summer, it’s now late fall.

“How’s lover boy holding up?”

“I wish you’d stop calling him that.”

“Hot man shacked up in your house? Come on, It’s accurate.”

“No, it’s not. Shut up.”

Lei and Runa sat on the top level of a club, nursing their drinks and keeping a wary eye on a booth below. Neither were fond of stakeouts like these, from the restrictive clothing to the crowded venue, and it made them both tense.

“Anyway, he’s….fine. Still adjusting,” Lei took a sip and grimaced. She was never much of a drinker. “I rarely see him, he only really comes out once I’m out of the house.”

“How would you know if you’re not there?”

“He eats the food I leave for him, reads the books I set out,” Lei watched one of the bodyguards. He was getting visibly ill, sweating and pale. “I write notes for him and he’s started writing some back.”

“That’s something.”

“A start, at least.”

The bodyguard stumbled out of his seat and staggered towards the bathroom. His partner was starting to look not too well either. Lei and Runa shifted ever so slightly in their seats, preparing to slip out at a moments notice. “I’m trying to be supportive here, Lei, but you know how I feel about this,” Runa admitted. “What’s your end goal?”

    “There is no end goal. I just want to help.”

    “I thought you wanted to keep this a secret, too.”

    “I do, I just-”

    “Just what?”

    Lei held up her finger, an order to pause the conversation. The second bodyguard was clutching his stomach. His boss, the target, looked irritated as he asked him a question. Before the bodyguard could respond, he clamped a hand over his mouth and rushed off as well. “We’ll have this argument another time. Let’s go.”

    They dodged the masses of dancing people, purpose in their faces and murder in their walk. A few men start to approach them, but quickly changed their minds with one quick glare. These women were on a mission.

    The target, Frederick Greene, sat slumped in his booth waiting for his guards to return. He however quickly sat up at the sight of Runa and Lei slipping in the seats beside him, sandwiching him in. His face was pale.

    “How are you Frederick?” Runa was pleasant, drumming her nails on the wooden table. He flinched at the sound. “Having fun?”

    “I uh-yeah,” He cleared his throat nervously. “How are-how are you?”

    “Oh, you know,” Lei grinned, all teeth and no sincerity. “Not too excited working a Friday night.”

    “I’m sorry to hear th-at.” His voice wavered as a knife appeared in her hand.

    “Well, you know the creed of the Libra,” Runa said casually. “There’s nothing we won’t do. Including working late hours.”

    “Is that right?”

    “And you want to know our job for tonight?” He swallowed. “We’ve heard you’ve been selling contraband to humans.”

    “I-no I haven’t-”

    “5 victims in 5 weeks, Frederick. All in the hospital telling strange stories of what hurt them,” Lei’s gaze was hard as she spoke. “Creatures crawling out of their mirrors, necklaces trying to choke them, monkey paws that break their _own_ fingers. And these all trace back to you.”

    “I didn’t know-”

    “Awfully big coincidence, then,” She seemed unimpressed. “You know the risk as well as any of us. If humans found out about magic, it would be mayhem. You see what they do with mutants, and they’re not even from another universe. Imagine what they would do to _you_ , little cat.”

    “No one will find out-”

    “We found the artifacts,” Runa said. “The mirror was particularly nasty. Whoever cursed it was particularly twisted. Whoever _sold it_ was particularly heartless,” She grabbed onto Frederick’s arm and forced him to bring his hand out from under the table. His nails had turned to claws. “And stupid, might I add.”

    “What are you going to do? Kill me?” He spat. Fear, however, shone in his eyes.

    “No,” Lei let the knife disappeared. “We let you stay in this world despite your _numerous_ crimes back home. Serves us right for believing in a fresh start. I think it’s time you go back and stand trial.”

    “Oh gods, please, no-”

    “If you wanted to stay, you should’ve thought about that before smuggling cursed objects through your shop. They don’t seem so cheap now, huh?”

    “I’ll do anything! You want money? I have lots, I can-”

    “Shut up before you get charged for bribery?” Runa offered.

    “They’ll kill me-”

    “You should’ve thought of that before you wasted your chance here,” She slid out of the booth. Lei guided him towards her, a non-too-gentle grip on his shoulder. “Try not to cause a scene.”

    To the outside eye, It looked like Frederick had the score of a lifetime. Two beautiful ladies by his side, one with their arm wrapped securely around his waist. But if they looked closer, they could see the panic in the man’s eyes and how the blonde holding onto him was practically dragging him along. The trio left the club and into the night. When the bodyguards returned, they found the booth empty, their boss’ glass still half-full. After glancing around, they concluded that he had gone home to get laid.

    They never saw him again.

* * *

 

    Lei came home exhausted. She had stopped at base to change, trading a tight black dress for jeans and a soft sweater, and picked up some ice cream on the way.

    She opened the door of her townhouse, the gold knocker pressing uncomfortably into her shoulder. A flight of stairs greeted her, another landing just in sight. It wasn’t a long climb, especially from someone who has scaled 20 story walls, but right at that moment Lei wished desperately that she had rebuilt the building with her apartment starting on the ground floor. Her feet dragged up each step, and she reached the landing and the second door. Once she unlocked that one as well, she was finally, _finally_ in her living room.

    She rubbed out a kink in her neck while dropping her clothes bag unceremoniously on the floor. Her ice cream still hung from her other wrist. The couch looked inviting, soft cushions and fluffy blankets beckoning her to lay down, but she resisted the urge and headed to the kitchen. The chance for dinner was long gone, but at the very least she could get a spoon and eat a pint of cookie-dough ice cream.

    “Hey.”

    Lei stopped in the kitchen entrance, dumbfounded. Bucky was sitting nervously at the island. It was the first time she had really seen him since he started living with her, at most catching glimpses of him before he slipped back into his room. He made no move to do that now, however. He even made eye contact with her. “Hey?” She didn’t know how to react. “I-whu-why aren’t you asleep?” He shifted sheepishly.

    “You usually come back before it gets dark,” He explained.“I got worried.” Lei stared, heart touched and overwhelmed. Bucky cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Where-where were you?”

    “Out with a friend,” Her voice was soft. “You didn’t have to stay up for me.”

    “I wanted to make sure you got home safe,” His hands fiddled with each other, white and grey twisting together. The complete sincerity of his words left Lei speechless. “Did you have dinner?” He asked. “I made some pasta. It-it’s not much but if you want some….”

    She smiled warmly, heart full and aching.“I’d love some,” Then she gestured awkwardly with her bag. “Let me just put this away.”

    “What is it?”

    “Cookie-dough ice cream. Do you like it?”

    She got a shy smile in return. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. “I love it.”

    “Well you can have some. But-” She held up a finger. “You gotta sit with me while I eat and watch trashy tv.”

    That got a laugh from him. “Okay. That-that’s fair.”

* * *

 

    “Why’d they choose that house? That was the worst house.”

    “Really? I liked it better that the ‘greenhouse getaway’.”

    “At least that one was interesting. This one is architectural beige,” Lei choked on her ice cream, coughing into her elbow as she tried to get it out of the wrong pipe. Bucky flushed. “I’m not wrong!”

    “No, you got a point, it’s just-” She snorted again. “ _Architectural beige_ caught me by surprise. Anyway, it’s a better canvas to work with.”

    “It’s a _box_.”

    “They’ll add shutters. It’ll be great.”

    Bucky frowned and took another bite. They were starting to scrape the bottom of the carton.

    It was the closest they’ve ever been. Bucky had stretched his legs out onto the ottoman while Lei draped hers over the back of the sectional. Her head just brushed his thigh. Bucky could ignore it for HGTV.

    “Lemme get some more.” She made grabby hands, reaching up for him to give her the ice cream.

    “There’s not a lot left.” He handed it over.

    “Do you mind if I have the rest of it?”

    He shook his head. “Go ahead.”

    “What a gentleman.”

    “That house is ugly. You should be the one remodeling houses,” Bucky complained and folded his arms. “Your place is way better than anything this person’s done.”

    “You really think so?”

    “I love it here.” It slipped out without him realizing. A blush rose in his cheeks and he looked away. Lei sat up and touched his arm. Reluctantly, he glanced back.

    “I’m really glad, Buck,” Her eyes were warm. “And I’m really glad you’re here, too.”

    “You don’t mean that.”

    “I do.”

    “I avoided you for weeks.”

    “You were taking your time, I don’t blame you for that,” She shrugged. “I wanted you to have a place where you could….adjust, you know? And when you stayed, it made me happy that I was providing that for you.”

    Bucky swallowed, but despite his anxiety managed a small smile. “It reminds me of Wakanda here, a little,” He admitted. “With all the plants. And the floors creak like my home in Brooklyn,” He picked up a pillow and placed it on his lap. “And you have a lot of books. I missed reading.”

    “Yeah, I noticed you were a science nerd,” She grinned. “Wouldn’t have taken you as one.”

    “Apparently I was one back in the 40’s, too.”

    “Glad to hear you were always a dork.”

    “If I’m a dork, then what are you? You have a PhD in _robotics_.”

    “It makes me terrible at parties.” He laughed.

    “I don’t think I’d be much good at them either.”

    “We can be bad together, then.” She punched his shoulder affectionately.

    “I like the sound of that.”

 


	7. Birds of a Feather

_ He was the asset. The Winter Soldier. Hydra’s Dog. They had brought him out again. Someone needed to be hurt. He needed to hurt someone. _

_ The scene changes. A young woman is in a chair. She was different from past hostages. Her eyes were clear and sharp. No fear came from them. His handler demanded something, the words turning to static. The woman replied, voice crackling back. She displeased him. The Winter Soldier struck her. _

_ Her curls danced. Her lip bled. She stood firm. She was struck again. _

_ He didn’t want to. A part of him saw her in a cherry red dress, hair done in a tight updo. A girl a soldier would chase after. The Winter Soldier didn’t chase girls, yet he knew that another soldier would. _

_ He kept hitting her because he was supposed to. His knuckles and boots were coated in blood. Harsh static forced his hand to curl around her throat.  _

_ She couldn’t push him away. Her hands were bound to her sides. Her eyes became wide. He squeezed harder. A newly broken nose gushed blood over her lips and dripped from her chin onto his wrist. She spluttered for air.  _

_ His handler was screaming, the harsh static overwhelming. He kept squeezing. She writhed.  _

_ Then all went quiet.The static went away. He kept squeezing, she was crying. She let out a broken plead, clear and ringing in his brain. _

_ “Bucky….!” _

He woke up drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he scrambled out of bed, trying to get as far away from the nightmare in any way he could. His breath came out in sharp, panicked gasps. He looked wildly to his left arm, checking to make sure the silver metal and red star were truly gone. 

Moonlight streamed in from the window, casting his bedroom in a blinding glow. An empty glass sat on his bedside table, a book right beside it. His tangled sheets had turned silver; a giant comforter and a sea of pillows that held him a warm embrace. He couldn’t be further from  _ there _ . 

Bucky ran a hand over his face and let out a shaky sigh. This wasn’t the worst nightmare he’s had, not by a long shot, but it still rattled him deeply. He wasn’t going to get any more sleep tonight.

He grabbed his book and headed downstairs, careful to tread quietly so as to not wake Lei. He would probably read on the couch until the morning and try to hide his exhaustion when she came down for breakfast. They would eat together like they always did, and everything would be fine.

To his concern, he didn’t need to wait for her at all.

He found Lei on the foot of the steps, head bowed so her forehead rested on her knees. She held her phone to ear. He heard her sniff, a little fragile sound that pierced his chest. She had obviously been pulled from her bed too.

“Okay,” Her voice was a quiet croak, worn from tears. “Thank you for talking to me,” She paused as the person on the other end responded. “Love you too. Night,” She ended the call and rested her head in her hands. He didn’t know how long he stood there, frozen, holding his breath. But at some point Lei spoke up. “How much did you hear?” She asked.

He swallowed, a shamed flush rising in his cheeks from being caught. “Just the end.”

She sighed. From behind, he could see the motions to wipe at her face. “I uh, sorry. I didn’t wake you up, right?”

“No, no, you’re fine,” after a moment’s deliberation, he sat down next to her as gingerly as possible. She didn’t react. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, um,” Her cheeks were still shiny from tears. She wiped her crooked nose on her sleeve (“I went on vacation and busted it. Some luck, huh?”).  “I just got a little freaked out by a dream, is all.”

His face softened in understanding. “You had a nightmare.”

She let out a self-deprecating huff of laughter. “It’s dumb, really. I shouldn’t have panicked.” 

“Nightmares suck,” He said emphatically. She snorted. “You’re not dumb for being affected by them,” That’s what had been drilled into him for over three years, at least. Steve, T’Challa, now Dr.Freeman, they all told him pretty much the same thing.The next question came slow, hesitant, but genuine. “What was it? If you don’t mind?”

She didn’t answer, at first. Her lips pressed together and he started to think that he had crossed a line. But then she spoke.   
“It’s….a little hard to explain,” she started, picking the hem of her shirt. “My dad….basically abandoned me? I don’t remember what he said, but I knew that he was leaving and never coming back,” Something caught her throat, but she pushed past it. “When I tried to follow, he….turned to dust, or something. I don’t know,” Her hands were shaking, he realized. She gripped them together in an attempt to stop it. “When I woke up, I thought he had actually left, and I….I freaked out. But I called him, and he was fine, and I’m fine, and it was just a stupid dream,” At this point it seemed like she was trying to reassure herself as much as him. He wanted to say something, to give some form of comfort but Lei beat him to it. She cleared her throat and asked- “So why are you up, if I didn’t wake you?”

_ Her face wet with tears and broken. No rage, no anger, just despair. For herself. For him. _

“Same as you,” Her eyes widened. “I don’t really want to talk about it.” 

She nodded in understanding, and they fell into uneasy silence. Neither knew how to proceed. “We’re a depressing pair, aren’t we?” Lei finally joked. Bucky laughed at that. She smiled weakly. The tension eased. 

“Are you going up to bed?” He asked softly. She shook her head.

“No. I think I’m just going to bum on the couch.”

“I was going to read.”

“Well not all of us can be intellectuals.” She grunted a little as she pushed herself off the step and offered him a hand. He took it, more as an acknowledgement of the gesture than out of any necessity. Her hand were warm.

“Can I join you?”

“Of course. It’s your house as much as mine.” That made his stomach flutter. His home.

They settled on the couch, a large sectional with cushions you sank into, and they tried to get lost in their own devices--Lei on her phone and Bucky in his pages. They sat close enough together to share a fuzzy blanket, Her feet resting comfortably on his thigh. His flesh thumb rubbed at her ankle. 

He was getting better at touch. Or, at least, her touch. Even if Lei tried to reign it in, she was at heart a tactile person and he had to get used to the way her fingers flitted over his skin. He was even starting to like it. There was something intoxicating about casual affection, something pleasing about it that came from deep in his bones. He wondered if he was like that in the 40’s. Maybe he’d ask Steve once they visited the tower.

Bucky looked up from his book, a casual check on Lei, maybe to see if she had recovered from the terror of the night. He found, however, that she had fallen back asleep, mouth open slightly and arms folded over her stomach.

He smiled and went back to reading.


	9. An Authors PSA

Hey y’all, I’m not....super fond of how I’ve structured this fic so far. This whole saga is a universe I’ve created over the course of a year, writing snippets here and there, but mostly just thinking about it obsessively. This means I have an (I’d hope) really well fleshed out story, but no idea how to really get it across save for just talking the ear off of my friend Fiona (I know you’re reading babe btw and I love you). 

So, how I’m going to do this is leave these chapters up while I rewrite back up to where I was before. I’m either going to delete these chapters and replace them OR just make a whole new fic and leave these alone for y’all to revisit.

this is not me abandoning this fic. This is me kinda navigating writing a chapter-based story instead of just personal snapshots. 

Sorry for the inconvenience, thank you HellKat for the comments they made me feel really great, and hopefully I’ll be back in a short bit. Bye!


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